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Office of the Scientific Director

Scientific Director Dan Kastner, M.D., Ph.D.

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Office of the Scientific Director (OSD) provides leadership and managerial oversight for all research and related activities within the institute's Division of Intramural Research. OSD creates and maintains a productive research environment through the effective management, coordination and prioritization of NHGRI research activities. This is accomplished by providing overall scientific leadership and by overseeing activities that are central to the successful day-to-day operation of the NHGRI Intramural Program, primarily through the Administrative Management Branch and the Professional Development Office.

In conjunction with the NHGRI Board of Scientific Counselors, OSD has the primary responsibility for performing regular external reviews of all NHGRI research programs, ensuring their continued high quality and relevance. OSD staff, in particular the Scientific Director and Deputy Scientific Director, serve important liaison roles between NHGRI and other National Institutes of Health (NIH) components by representing the Institute on various NIH-wide committees.

Finally, OSD promotes activities intended to increase interactions among its scientific staff, through seminar series, the annual NHGRI scientific retreat, and other programs intended to highlight the institute's investigators and their research.